What do I need to strip the paint from my models and does it work differently for plastic models and metal ones?
Can you damage you models if you strip them for too long?

Brother_Chaplian Raimo

28-03-2009, 04:09 PM

There are so many different ways to do it, most of which are impossible to cover in a single article, let alone post. In many cases, the answers to your questions are simultaneously yes, no and maybe. There are methods that have the potential to damage models, and some that won't. Some work on metal, some on plastic, some on both. And so forth.

Nonetheless, you strike me as the type who prefers simplicity, so I have but two words for you- Simple Green. This is the stuff of gods. Simple Green is readily available most anywhere that sells cleaning products, safe for breathing/skin/the environment, works on damn near any kind of paint on both metal and plastic, and won't harm your treasured plastic components, no matter how long the soak. Quite simply, you need more Simple Green.

Skringly

28-03-2009, 04:46 PM

Are you in England or America?

Scoppio

28-03-2009, 08:10 PM

Caustic soda

It will NEVER damage your metal or plastic.

Just let it there in a mix of water + caustic soda for a night and just brush it the next day and it will be ok. Most of the hobbysts in my country use this technic and none had ever noticed any kind of damage on it.

Fear the Psyker

28-03-2009, 09:09 PM

I'll second the recommendation for Simple Green. The stuff works well for stripping paint and doesn't harm the models in any way.

General_Chaos

28-03-2009, 09:56 PM

I just stripped a bunch of metal models with Nail polish remover and a toothbrush. It worked great. Tried in on some of my plastic ones and it worked fine also I even let them soak a bit just to see if it would melt them or not, it didn't problems at all. I did notice at the store they had nail polish remover with and without Acetone. I got the stuff with Acetone.

Heard Easy Off works great on plastic models interested in trying that.

Scoppio

29-03-2009, 01:23 AM

Guys, beware with acetona, I work with quimical products in a photonic's lab and the acetona do attack PLASTIC and it may damage it severelly depending on the time of exposure.

In the past two days I have stripped about 20 marines, and a rhino in simple green. This was the first time I used this product, as I used various polish removers and acetones, and they all damaged my plastic, and were a pain on the skin and sinuses... The Simple Green worked like a wonder, I let models soak for about half an hour, then took a toothbrush to it, and voila all clean and no damage. Great stuff!

Snickerseve

29-03-2009, 05:25 AM

I just stripped a bunch of metal models with Nail polish remover and a toothbrush. It worked great. Tried in on some of my plastic ones and it worked fine also I even let them soak a bit just to see if it would melt them or not, it didn't problems at all. I did notice at the store they had nail polish remover with and without Acetone. I got the stuff with Acetone.

Heard Easy Off works great on plastic models interested in trying that.

I have done the same and is the best method in my opinion.

Skringly

29-03-2009, 04:15 PM

Just a shame we can't get simple green in UK.

LAZtheinfamous

29-03-2009, 04:19 PM

Just a shame we can't get simple green in UK.

Yeah you can, they have a UK website (http://www.simplegreen.co.uk/index.htm).

Lascannon O_O!

29-03-2009, 06:27 PM

Sorry for the late reply mezzerik, but I'm in Ireland actually.
You can get pretty much anything that you can get in England over here though, so it doesn't really make a difference.
The reason I'm asking about stripping is because I have a load of old space marines painted terribly.
They were my first models and I over-did it with the chaos black spray.
I'll give that simple green stuff a try and the nail polish remover then.
Thanks for the info everyone.

Thameslink

31-03-2009, 09:10 AM

I stripped some with alcohol - "the solution to, and cause to all of lifes problems"
I posted pics on LAZtheinfamous's thread about stripping paint, in the works in progress forum

http://www.astronomican.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8682&page=2

quick easy way to strip plastic,

Faileas

20-09-2009, 03:45 PM

Hello, Looking to strip a plastic model, Ive had a look at the simple green stuff, but don't fancy paying 15quid or more just for a one bottle? anyone know of a household UK product I can just nip to the shops to get *grins*

yeah I know, i'm a Scot alright!

Inquisitor Alex

20-09-2009, 09:03 PM

I've used oven cleaner on plastic and metal - it works great but stinks like %$#@^
Never heard of Simple Green but I'll take a look around. If they sell it in the states they probably have the same thing, maybe under a different brand, here in canada. Thanks for the tip !

Skringly

20-09-2009, 11:20 PM

Mr muscle Kitchen Cleaner or Dettol Disinfectant! Soak for a day or two. Works fine.